My own story . y disappeareddown a subterranean passage which led to acharming villa called Hellbrunn, and there theywere able to pass the time more pleasantlythan at the episcopal palace. When I was a child, the palace was the sad-dest and gloomiest place imaginable. It wascertainly very imposing, but it was also ex-tremely uncomfortable as a residence, and therewas nothing artistic about it, inside or out. Itwas not properly kept up; it looked fast fallinginto decay, and in some rooms the once expen-sive wall coverings hung in damp discolotiredstrips which were never replaced. Grim storiesof
My own story . y disappeareddown a subterranean passage which led to acharming villa called Hellbrunn, and there theywere able to pass the time more pleasantlythan at the episcopal palace. When I was a child, the palace was the sad-dest and gloomiest place imaginable. It wascertainly very imposing, but it was also ex-tremely uncomfortable as a residence, and therewas nothing artistic about it, inside or out. Itwas not properly kept up; it looked fast fallinginto decay, and in some rooms the once expen-sive wall coverings hung in damp discolotiredstrips which were never replaced. Grim storiesof secret murders clung round this depressingplace, and I remember how frightened we wereas children when we were told that the picturesin the Grand Gallery came to life at night, andthat the dead and gone princes and princessesgot out of their frames and wandered fromroom to room. My father, who was quite Florentine in hisways, kept up an Italian entourage as much aspossible and preferred Italian servants to any. MY OWN STORY 43 others. He had a wonderM personaUty, andI feel it is only right for me to pay tribute hereto the memory of this best of fathers and mostcharming of men. I loved him devotedly; hewas our playmate and entered into our nurserylife before we commenced the dreary treadmillexistence which was called education for ourfuture positions. My happiest recollections ofmy dear father are of the times when I sat byhis side with my brothers, listening to marvel-lous fairy tales for which he painted illustra-tions, and cooking all kinds of sweet messesover the nursery fire. He was often away fromSalzburg, as he used to shoot with the EmperorFrancis-Joseph and the Crown Prince Rudolph,who was his especial friend and he was at home he was an indefatigableworker; he managed all his Tuscan properties(the Grand Dukes were great landowners andsome of their Italian estates are still in thefamily), but since his death they are underthe jurisdiction of the Emperor,
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